Slow On The Up Take
by Tenshi Chupip
Summary: TOMATO VERSE! A.U. When Scorpius Malfoy gets between him and the girl of his dreams, Tavis Longbottom is at a loss for what to do. Can his best friend help? Warning: May need to read the prequels first to identify all characters.
1. SOTUT1

**Slow On the Up Take**

**By: Tenshi Chupip**

***I don't own the Harry Potter universe.**

He stared at her from across the great hall, as he often did when she didn't join them for meals. Tavis Longbottom felt his heart fluttered a bit when her musical laughter reached his ears. He watched with a small smile as the object of his affection give her house mate a playful shove for the bad joke that was told. When she finally looked over at him Tavis blushed red at having been caught, even though she was waving and smiling. Great Godric's Ghost she had a beautiful smile. Tavis nervously waved back before looking far too interested with his breakfast.

The trouble had started in September when Head Mistress McGonagall announced she would be retiring at the end of the year and wanted to do something special in celebration. The celebration would be in the form of a ball before the Christmas holiday.

That announcement was four months ago.

The ball was next week and he still didn't have a date. James had landed a date very quickly… or rather he had come up with a scheme rather quickly. But taking your little sister didn't count in Tavis' book. Even if it was because birds thought the doting big brother thing was irresistible. The more invitations James declined in lue of taking "The real light of his life" the more girls flocked to him. Being bribed with five galleons, Lily would become mysteriously ill just before the dance and be unable to attend last minute. James, of course being distraught with worry over the condition of his precious baby sister, would need some comfort. Probably in a broom closet.

Probably in _several_ broom closets.

Tavis wasn't sure which part of his best friend's plan irritated him more. The fact James was doing it, or the fact that it seemed to actually be working. Pushing his friend's insane scheme to the back of his mind, Tavis went back to sulking. He needed to find a date himself, and soon before it was too late. There was only one girl he actually wanted to ask, problem was he was too scared to ask her. Sighing in frustration again, the blond haired young man glared at his breakfast again.

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" James exclaimed, tossing his fork onto his plate. He had been subjected to his best friend's moping about for weeks now. "Will you just go and ask her so I can eat my breakfast in peace!"

"What?" Tavis looked up in confusion.

"Your moping is throwing off the deliciousness of my bacon, and that is an offence I do not take lightly," James glared. "Now go ask Alyssa to the ball before I hex you into next week."

"I can't ask Alyssa to the ball!" Tavis exclaimed in a hushed voice.

"Why not?"

"Be…because…because I…"

"Because you're too much of a coward to ask a girl you've been best friends with for almost ten years to spend a couple hours with you, even though she spends all of her free time with you anyway?"

"She spends all of her free time with _us_, not _me_," Tavis said hotly. "And I'm not a coward."

"Go on then," James said, picking his fork back up and resumed shoveling mouthfuls of eggs in. "The worst she says is no. It just means you have to find another girl."

"I don't want another girl," Tavis replied under his breath.

"Just go ask her," James said. "Why would she say no?"

"I don't know, maybe because she was asked by someone else?" he said. Someone better. _"Someone smarter, more handsome, someone she deserves."_

"She told us both yesterday no one has asked her yet," his friend replied. "Look, I know how you feel about my cousin, known longer than you have probably, so put your big wizard knickers on and ask her before someone beats you too it."

Tavis chuckled, "Alright, I'll do it after charms, yeah?"

James smiled for a moment before his expression suddenly changed to a worried one, "Er... sorry, Mate."

Tavis furrowed his brow in confusion before slowly turning around. When he finally spotted what had managed to disturb James, he felt his world stop.

Across the room at the Ravenclaw table, a platinum blond boy was smiling and laughing with Alyssa. He bent down and appeared to be whispering a question in her ear. Alyssa blushed and looked over to James and Tavis for a moment. For a split second, Tavis thought her expression was one of disappointment but it was gone before he could get a good look. Blushing again she turned back and nodded to the boy in front of her. Tavis could feel his heart crack just slightly. Scorpius Malfoy just asked Alyssa to the dance, and she had accepted.

James looked at his best friend with sympathy.

"Tav… I'm sorry…"

"Forget it," Tavis shoved himself off the bench and grabbed his books. "I'll see you in Charms."

With that he practically ran out of the Great Hall. Tavis could feel tears threatening but was too proud to give into them. He was almost seventeen years old for crying out loud, he did not cry. Tavis had never been so angry with himself before. He should have asked her months ago, but his fear got in the way. Now Malfoy of all people had asked her! There was no hope for him now. Sometimes Tavis wondered why the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor in the first place. Weren't Gryffindors supposes to be brave? How brave could he possibly be if just the idea of asking a girl to a dance terrified him.

Tavis was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear his name being called.

"Tav!" Alyssa shouted, jogging after him, juggling her books. "Tav, wait!"

Tavis halted and allowed her to catch up. "Oh… hey, Lyssa," he forced a smile. "Sorry, didn't see you."

Finally reaching him, Alyssa smiled as she was finally able to force her books into the uncooperative bag. "I have to go see Professor Flitwick before my Runes class, want to walk with me?" she asked.

"Always," he smiled back.

They walked in silence for a few moments when she blurted out, "Scorpius just asked me to the dance."

"I saw that," Tavis said, trying to hide the bitterness in his voice. He wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't him who did it. Damned if it wasn't killing him though. Though he was able to force out, "I hope you have a good time."

"Who are you going with?" she asked, innocently.

"Uh, no one actually," he replied.

"What?" Alyssa sounded surprised. "I thought you must have asked someone months ago."

"Why would you have thought that?"

"Well, I just figured since you didn't ask me and well I thought you… we…" Alyssa blushed for a moment and looked away. "Well I mean, we're best friends and I figured I'd end up going with either you or James."

"Oh," was all he could muster to say, trying very hard not to kick him self.

"I just thought you were going to ask, since James would rather go with someone he can make out with, and that definitely does not include me."

"What? Not one for the pureblood tradition of snogging your cousin?" Tavis teased.

"Well considering I'm not a pureblood and was raised in an environment where incest is just down right disturbing, then I'm gonna go with no," Alyssa joked back. "Besides, I'll sooner deck James than kiss him."

Tavis laughed. She was so perfect. She was brave, funny, and smart.

"_And beautiful,"_ he reminded himself. Great Merlin did he think she was beautiful. She had inherited her mother's hair, dark brown and curly. She had cut it very short in fourth year and was teased so mercilessly, she brewed a hair growth potion eight days into the term. Tavis wouldn't admit to it, but he was glad she did. He and James had both hexed the jerk who made her cry about her hair, but the short cut she had gotten just wasn't good on her. Now it reached her mid back and was a wild mane of silk. Her eyes were a bright blue like her father and he never got tired of looking at them. Her skin was fair so the few freckles she had on her nose and cheeks stood out.

Tavis opened his mouth to say he was sorry, and to possibly beg her to tell Scorpius never mind and go with him instead, when he spotted the said Slytherin walking towards them. He didn't fail to notice that Malfoy ignored him standing there.

"Alyssa," Scorpius called, holding up a small notebook. "You dropped your Potion notes outside the Great Hall."

"Oh, thank you," Alyssa replied, taking the notebook. "I probably would have panicked if I found that missing later. You're kind to return it."

"Not at all," he smiled charmingly at her. "Wouldn't want a lovely creature such as yourself to loose whats important to you."

Tavis rolled his eyes and Alyssa blushed.

"Yes, well thank you again, Scorpius," Alyssa said, stuffing some books into her back pack. "If you'll excuse me though I must find Professor Flitwick."

"Until later then," Scorpius took her hand and brought it up to his lips.

Alyssa blushed deep red before muttering a goodbye to both of them and speed away.

Tavis snorted in irritation, finally drawing Scorpius' attention. He placed a look of indifference on his face, "Longbottom."

"Malfoy," Tavis glared.

"Alyssa and I are attending the ball together next weekend," Scorpius grinned in what seemed like triumph at Tavis.

"You don't say?" he all but growled.

"It is of course to be expected. I wouldn't lower myself to going with anyone but the most beautiful and intelligent girl in school. She may not be an actual pureblood, but half blood is better than muggle and her other qualities fill in the half that are," he said. "Who are you going with, Longbottom?"

When Tavis didn't answer, Scorpius smirked, "You couldn't find a date could you?"

"I would have had a date, but you seem to have beaten me too her," Tavis glared again.

"Ah yes, your well known crush on Miss Dursley," the blond boy sniffed. "It's just as well if you think about it. If you actually loved her, you'd want her to have the best now wouldn't you? And let's face it, Longbottom. I am the best."

With that Malfoy walked off, leaving Tavis standing in the middle of the hall, seeing red.

**TBC**

**A/N: I'm going to be doing a couple of random stories about the kids at Hogwarts, nothing extensive but I can never just leave well enough alone R&R darlings!**

**~Chu**


	2. SOTUT2

Chapter Two

The next two days dragged on in the worst sort of way for Tavis. Every time he tried to approach Alyssa, Scorpius was right there to interrupt their conversation. The smirk that little platinum prat was constantly giving him got just a little more under Tavis' skin every time he saw it.

Tavis had hoped to keep his spectacular failure to himself, but then he remembered he was best friends with James I-can't-keep-my-mouth-shut Potter. It wasn't long before the beans were spilled and Blyana had him cornered outside of his Charms class with an almost crazed look in her eye. Blyana and Fineena loved Alyssa like an older sister and neither were shy about letting their oldest brother how much they wanted him to make that a reality. The news that he may possibly have blown their dreams of adding Alyssa to the Longbottom family tree had not gone over well.

"You let MALOFY ask her out!" Blyana had shrieked at him. "You've have eight, count 'em EIGHT years to do what Malfoy did in thirty seconds! 'Alyssa, hey lets go to the ball?' HOW HARD IS THAT? Oh just you wait till Neena hears about this, she'll box your ears from now till new years!"

Standing there watching his twelve year old little sister rant till she was quite literally red in the face had not made Tavis' day any better. It got worse over the next two days when she kept shooting him dirty looks at meals and zapping him with various hexes in the halls. To make matters worse, Blyana's sudden mood change did not go unnoticed by Alyssa, being that they were both in Ravenclaw. To Tavis' relief though when Alyssa questions the first year, she lied and said she had a row with a friend.

After another not so friendly placed hex from his little sister, James convinced Tavis to go to his dad and have him call off Ana's attack. This only proved to make things worse. They weren't five feet into the green house before both boys were ambushed by an angry Neville waving two very poor progress report from Professor McGonagall regarding their most recent Transfiguration exam.

The boys got to stand and be lectured about how they should spend less time picking fights with first years and more time studying. If they did that then perhaps they'd be makings straight O's instead of A's and don't think for a second that both your mothers aren't going to hear about this. It had taken the boys almost two hours to escape his dad's irate rant.

Having a father as a professor was not nearly as great as Tavis had hoped it would be. James wasn't thrilled to much about the arrangement either. His parents and Tavis' parents were very close. Having such a dear family friend as a teacher meant his parents had instant access to everything, especially his grade. This had caused James to endure more howlers from his mother than he would prefer to admit. The owls both boys would undoubtedly be receiving from their respective mothers in the morning about their poor exam scores did nothing to lighten either of their moods.

Neville had practically escorted them to the library that evening with orders not to move until they either completed their finals outlines or it was curfew. They had been sitting in the library for over an hour waiting on Alyssa to come study with them but she had yet to show up. Tavis couldn't help but stew as his mind wandered to the reason why she probably wasn't there.

"You're doing it again, Tav," James voice pulled him out of his fuming.

"Huh?" he replied.

"You've been staring at that one page in you potions book for ten whole minutes and haven't written down a single thing," James said, setting his own book down

"Sorry, Mate," Tavis put the book and rubbed his hands over his face. "It's just a lot of material."

"Yeah, because that it totally why you're upset," James scoffed and picked his potions book back up. "She'll be here, stop sweating it."

Tavis chuckled and returned to skimming his potions textbook. James knew him too well. Sure enough though, not five minutes later a red faced and breathless Alyssa ran into the library. She looked as though she'd sprinted from one end of the castle to the other.

"I am so sorry!" she panted, tossing her book bag onto the table before practically collapsing in a chair. "I completely lost track of time."

"No problem," James said, giving his cousin a genuine smile.

"We've been here for an hour waiting," Tavis frowned, trying not to sound as upset he was. "What kept you?"

"Scorpius got a Nimbus 3000 for his birthday and let me take it for a spin around the Quidditch pitch," Alyssa exclaimed happily, completely missing the tone Tavis had given her. "It was brilliant! I wonder if I can sweet talk Gran into getting me one for Christmas because that was absolutely amazing! I've never gone so fast on a broom before."

"What a guy," he muttered.

"Aly, I'm not sure I got this formula right, will you check my work?" James said, trying to change the subject.

"Sure," she smiled and took the offered potions assignment from her cousin. She hadn't read very far down before she grabbed a quill and started marking out things and making notes. As she wrote, Alyssa chattered away happily about the things she and Scorpius had been doing that week.

Tavis sat there glowering at his text book, trying not the let his anger show too much.

Why Alyssa? There were hundreds of girls in the school, why her?

"_I wouldn't want to lower myself to going with anyone but the most beautiful and intelligent girl in school."_

Well, he'd give Malfoy that, Alyssa was the most beautiful and intelligent girl in school. To him at least. It didn't hurt that she was also Ravenclaw's Quidditch Captain for the second year in a row and the team was doing great, but why did she have to catch Malfoy's eye of all people! It made it worse was she was sitting there talking about him like he was the next best thing to a straight O report card. Tavis was trying to tune out the conversation as much as possible because the more he heard the closer he came to ripping his potions book in half.

"…eating lunch and boom! A delivery owl drops a giant bouquet of pink calla lilies in my lap! James, this is wrong too, its two parts toad eggs, not frog eggs, there's a difference… anyway there was a note in them from him saying how much he was looking forward to attending the ball with me and asked if I might accompany him to the next Hogsmeade weekend."

Tavis felt his stomach clench painfully.

"Are you going to say yes?" he asked in a tight voice.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't want to say yes. I never knew Scorpius could be so charming, and well it's nice to be paid attention too," Alyssa said shyly. "He's been an absolute gentleman all week and I don't know how he found out what my favorite flower was but that bouquet probably cost more than my school robes. He wants to take me too that new café that just opened up. It sounded expensive but he didn't seem to care. I think I'm going to say yes. If nothing else I'll see if it'd be worth it to accept another date from him."

The lid on Tavis' temper finally cracked. _Another_ date? As though going on just the one wasn't enough. Tavis'd had it. The whole week had been a disaster but sitting there listening to the girl he'd been in love with for years practically sing the praises of the biggest arse in school was just too much for him. Before he could stop himself, Tavis snorted in disgust.

"Figures," he grumbled.

"Sorry?" Alyssa looked over at him. James looked slightly pale. He had been watching Tavis' face the entire time Alyssa had been talking and knew it was only a matter of time before his friend lost it.

"Figures you'd sell out for a guy willing to flash a little money at you," Tavis snapped before he thought better of it.

Alyssa looked like he had physically slapped her across the face. "How… how can you say that?" she asked meekly.

"Six years Malfoy has acted like a stuck up prat towards us, and now suddenly he's the best thing since Merlin himself just because he asks you to a dance and sends you a bunch of weeds with a bow round 'em?" he said. Part of Tavis' brain was screaming at him to shut up. The logical part of him knew he should have just apologized and beg forgiveness. However the jealousy and the wounded pride just wouldn't let him. Even with James sitting across the table sending very clear signs to shut up he was simply to angry to do so.

"Malfoy's not the only prat in this school," Alyssa narrowed her eyes at Tavis. "I would never go out with someone just because they had money, you should know that. In case you have forgotten, my parents aren't exactly paupers and I earn my own money working for Uncle Fred and Uncle George every holiday. I don't need Scorpius to pay for things, it was just very sweet of him to offer since it would be a _date_."

Tavis cringed. He had a feeling she emphasized the word date on purpose. "The only reason he is lavishing you with all this attention is probably to get into your knickers," he shot back.

"Of course, because it can't possibly be because he might actually like me and want to get to know me," Alyssa rolled her eyes.

"Doubtful, it is Malfoy after all," Tavis said. "He is a Slytherin. They always have an alternative motive."

"That's not fair, Tav," James cut in, hoping to maybe defuse the situation before they caught Madame Pince's attention. "Louis is in Slytherin and he's not a manipulative git."

"Not the point," Tavis silenced his friend with a glare. "I just don't want to see you get hurt when Malfoy shows his true colours."

"Maybe he's showing them now and you're just too busy hating him to see them," the angry brunette said, crossing her arms.

"Of course he is, and Uncle Harry beat Voldemort with an army of pygmy puffs."

"What on earth has gotten into you, Tavis Longbottom?" she asked. "You are acting like an absolute arse."

"Better an arse then a for sale show pony."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means if I'm going to date someone I don't do it because they say I'm pretty once or twice and then throw presents at me," he replied.

"Well at least when Malfoy likes someone he has enough of a spine to actually show it, unlike some," Alyssa huffed, and stood up from the table and began throwing her books back in her bag.

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Tavis snapped angrily.

"Figure it out!" she yelled, angry tears starting to roll down her cheeks. With that she turned on her heel and stormed out of library, completely ignoring Madame Pince's angry chides. As Tavis watched her go his anger melted into a horrible sick feeling in his stomach. One look at the angry expression on James' face was all he needed to understand exactly what he had just done.

"I hope you do realize you just effectively called my cousin a whore because she accepted some flowers and a lunch invite from someone other than you," James said coolly.

"I didn't mean too," Tavis said.

"Yeah, but you did," James said as he too got up and started gathering his books. "And frankly, Tav, it's your own fault. You've had every opportunity to ask her out or even just tell her how you feel, but you haven't. Don't think for a second its alright for you to ruin her excitement at having someone else pay her the attention you were too cowardly to show her yourself."

"Et Tu, Brute?" Tavis shot him a sour look.

"Usus est magister of totus res. Factum amo a vir quod peto venia, Asine," James glared and left the library as well.

Tavis glared after his friend. He hated it when James used Latin on him, because he would never translate it for him afterwards. And with Alyssa obviously not speaking to him he couldn't very well ask her. Tavis spent half an hour with a Latin translation dictionary trying to figure out what in the hell James had said. Of all the subjects his friend had a talent for, why did it have to be foreign language?

When Tavis finally figured it out, he face planted into the book in frustration.

'_Experience is the teacher of all things. Man up and say sorry, Jackass'_

**TBC**

**A/N:** That is a very ROUGH translation of that lol I do not speak latin at all. I fully admit all I did was go to google translator. R&R Lovelies!

~Chupip


	3. SOTUT3

**Chapter Three**

"I don't know how I let you talk me into this," Tavis muttered bitterly as he continued to do battle with his bow tie. James had somehow managed to talk him into going to the dance, and Tavis was not looking forward to it. Especially since it meant going stag.

The prior week had been hands down the absolute worst week of Tavis' life. Everyone was furious with him, and Alyssa refused to even look at him, let alone speak to him. If she saw him coming down the hall she would turn around and go in the opposite direction. Usually Scorpius was right next to her with a comforting arm wrapped around her. Somehow that burned Tavis more than the smirk Malfoy kept throwing over his shoulder. Blyana was not speaking to him either. Well, at least not after she yelled at him for thirty minutes straight. Taivs wasn't sure which was worse, being dressed down in front of his entire house by a first year, or finding out he caused Alyssa to cry all night. He was heavily leaning towards the latter.

The female half of the attending Weasley clan was noticeable cooler towards him but it was Alyssa's younger brother Harry he really had to worry about. The younger fellow Gryffindor had not taken kindly to the news that Tavis basically called his older sister a trollop, then made her cry. If looks could kill, Tavis would have been dead before he made it three steps into the common room that night.

But dirty looks were the least of his problems. Tavis never really noticed it before, but it dawned on him that evening that he did in fact share a dorm tower with all but one of Alyssa's attending male relatives; all but one of her rather vindictive attending male relatives. Whatever deity decided that Tavis needed to be in the same house as Fredrick Gideon Jr, heir to his father's throne, was a cruel and demonic beast. Freddie, Harry and Albus had been trying to prank him all week, but for whatever reason James sabotaged each one. The trio were less than pleased, but Tavis was more than grateful that his best friend had decided to stay by his side, despite how obviously angry he'd been.

Well.. grateful up until an hour ago when James used this proof of loyalty to successfully emotionally black mail Tavis into attending the ball. The argument though that found the blonde sixth year now fighting with a two and a half foot piece of fabric this evening was James pointing out Harry and Albus were less likely to kill him if there were witnesses around. Tavis finally agreed and dug out his dress robes along side James. Though he did so very grudgingly.

"You're part of my genius plan, Tav," James said with a sneaky grin. "Grief stricken by you inability to win back the love of your life after you brutally insulted her due to your blinding jealousy…"

"Thanks for not rubbing that one in, Jim," Tavis glared at his friend in the mirror that he was using to comb his usually shaggy blonde hair

"Don't interrupt me while I'm monologueing… Anyway, I being the noble and fantastic best friend that I am became determined not to see you fall into a deeper self pity. So overcoming my own worry for my darling baby sister's health, I make it my mission to ensure you go to the ball and have fun," James said, straightening his cufflinks. "Despite your desperate attempt to stay shut up in here, sulking like an eleven year old girl who got her pig tail dipped in an ink well."

"And how does this genius plan help me feel better exactly?"

"Oh, it doesn't," James grinned. "It just makes me look even more brilliant to the ladies."

"Why am I your friend?"

"Sometimes I wonder that one myself," he laughed and tossed Tavis a bottle of Sleekeazy for Men. "Run a bit of that through your mop and let's go."

… - … - …

Upon first entering the hall, Tavis had to admit he was impressed.

The great hall had been transformed into a stunning winter wonderland of a ballroom. Tables were scatted across the edges of the room with elaborately charmed icicle sculptures decorating each of them. Four twenty foot Christmas tree stood proud where the high table usually sat and the ceiling was bewitched to look like it was gently snowing. On the whole, Tavis had to agree the Hall looked amazing and was glad for the opportunity to see it. He started scanning the room for signs of anyone he knew when James waved to a pair of pretty girls. The two girls made their way over while Tavis tried to walk in a different direction. He wasn't in the mood to deal with any of James' conquest attempts. Unfortunately for him James stepped on the bottom of his robes, preventing him from going anywhere tactfully.

"Evening, Ladies," James smiled at the girls while ignoring Tavis' glare.

"James, what are you doing here?" asked the girl with medium length blonde hair and a curve hugging lilac colored dress.

"Yes, we thought you said that you were going to stay in tonight waiting on news of you sister," said her equally attractive companion, a beautiful brunette wearing a dark pink dress that was much shorter than necessary.

"My good friend Tavis here made me realize that sitting up in my room worrying wasn't doing myself or Lily any good," James said flashing them a sad but sheepish smile. Tavis rolled his eyes. It was too bad Hogwarts didn't offer drama courses. James might finally get an O in something other than Latin. "So I thought I'd come down and see if the festivities couldn't take my mind off poor little Lily lying all alone in her bed with a terrible fever. I don't know if I can, but I'll try," James continued as they followed the girls back to their table.

"Oh you poor thing!" cried the blonde as she gave him a hug.

"You are more than welcome to join our table," the brunette said, attaching herself to his other side.

"I'd love to, Ladies, but my friend Tavis here has had a rough week too and I wouldn't dream of abandoning him to his own lonely devises," James nodded his head in Tavis' direction. "Even for visions as lovely as yourselves," he added with a wink. Tavis was almost sure he was going to hurl. "But where are my manners, Mary Crosswire, Susan Bridgeforth, this is my oldest and best friend Tavis Longbottom."

"Longbottom? Are you related at all to Professor Longbottom?" the blonde, apparently named Mary, asked.

"He's my dad," Tavis replied.

"Really?" the girl named Susan detangled herself from James and looped her arm around Tavis' "It must be so fascinating to have such a big war hero for a father. He's so dashing. Like father like son it seems."

Tavis had only barely contained a bark of laughter hearing the girl call his dad "dashing". He wasn't sure how to respond to the obvious flirting, so he just resigned himself to a forced smile and hoped that she'd let go of his arm soon. The girls started chatting ideally away with James while Tavis tried to tune it out and allowed his brain to wonder a bit.

More and more guests were filing into the Great Hall. It seemed that every student ever taught by McGonagall was here to show their support and gratitude to the old witch. Tavis wondered how long it would be before their families showed up. He had received an owl from his mother yesterday informing him that she would be attended the ball as well, and that she hoped the Wrackspurts clouding his brain would be cleared up by then. Tavis sighed. There really was no one quite like his mother.

A flash of bright red in the corner of Tavis' peripheral vision drew his attention. He looked up and caught sight of the first thing in days to make him grin. Tavis' eyes darted to his best friend, not repenting an ounce of the schadenfreude he currently felt towards the little prat.

"…but after she fell and skinned her knee the only person she wanted to make it better was me, so I picked her up and carried her inside to clean the scrape," James said with a sigh. "It's just too bad I can't be at home with her right now. I'm the only one who can make her feel better when she doesn't feel well. At least I'll be home tomorrow. I can't wait to see her."

The collective 'awwww's from his admirers were cut off by a loud child like squeal.

"JIM-JIM!"

James went pale and had only a split second to figure out where the horrifyingly familiar voice was coming from before its owner quite literally tackled him to the floor in a ferocious hug. James lay flat on his back, gaping at his little sister who was smiling down at him.

"Lily!" he hollered at the small girl sitting on his stomach.

"Hi, Jim-Jim," the eight year old smiled broadly at him.

"What in the bloody hell are yo…" James caught a glace of the confused looks on Mary and Susan's faces before he softened his tone. "I mean, Lily sweetie, what uh… what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in bed?… in your room…at _home_!"

"Well your 'precious baby sister' didn't want to disappoint you, James," replied his mother as she and his father finally approached. "So she took extra special care to get better as fast as she could just so she could join you tonight."

James cringed slightly at the look on his mum's face. It promised a very long and very unpleasant conversation in the near future.

"Next time you bribe you little sister into eating puking pastilles, best tell her to hide the wrappers better," Uncle Harry said, barely containing his snickering. Tavis wasn't even bothering to hold it back as he doubled over gasping for breath from laughing so hard.

"You know what, James, I take it back. I'm glad you made me came tonight, this is much more interesting than reading in bed," Tavis said through gasps of breath.

James just grumbled as his hopes of getting a good snog or two that night were blasted into a million pieces. Mary and Susan had turned their entire attentions onto the eight year old girl in front of them and there was little chance of getting it back. And there was no way he could sneak off with a girl while his _mother_ of all people was here!

James hoisted himself off the ground and was dusting the dirt from his robes when a couple walked into the hall that made him go still. He nudged Tavis and gestured over to the door way.

Tavis winced as James' elbow made harsh connection with his ribs, but he followed the line of sight and scanned the crowed for what James seemed to be pointing at. Tavis breath caught in his throat and he felt slightly dizzy for a moment.

Malfoy and Alyssa had arrived.

**TBC**

**A/N: R&R! Oh and if you caught it, yes, the bimbos names were on purpose ;)**

**~Chupip**


	4. SOTUT4

**Chapter Four**

Tavis swallowed the lump forming in his throat. Suddenly he remembered why he didn't want to be here tonight.

Scorpius stood there, tall and proud in his immaculate dress robes trimmed in deep emerald green silk. On his arm, Alyssa was the embodiment of heaven. Her curly dark hair had been pinned up in an elegant knot on the top of her head and was held in place by faux pearl tipped bobby pins. A few stray curls framed her face and a large beautiful white lily was pinned to the side of the bun.

Tavis' mouth went dry as his eyes fell on her dress. The dark purple gown dipped into a deep V-neck, showing off an incredible amount of cleavage. The empire A-lined skirt clung to her body tightly till it met her hips. From there the silky material cascaded to the ground. The slit in the front of the skirt went to her mid thigh, showed off a pale leg and strappy silver heels. She turned to the side to greet a friend, giving the boys a clear view of the back of the dress. It was open backed except for the thin crisscross straps that were holding up the top of the dress. The open back dipped to just above her tail bone.

She looked stunning. She looked gorgeous. Tavis narrowed his eyes when he finally saw her face. She looked ready to crawl out of her skin. Alyssa's fashion tastes had always been along a much more conservative nature. There was no way in hell she'd picked a dress like that herself. Tavis had a sickening feeling he knew exactly just who had. Next to Tavis, James' saucer sized eyes burned as his face was slowly turning dark red with anger

"I'll kill him!" James roared.

"Who are we killing?" his father asked nonchalantly.

"HIM!" James hissed, pointing at the couple. "Look what he made Aly wear!"

Harry frowned in confusion but visually followed the direction his son was point in. When he finally caught sight of the couple his eyes bulged out and started choking on his drink. Ginny had to turn away from her conversation with Tavis' mum to pound on Harry's back.

"Oh god!" he sputtered, trying to wipe the punch from his chin and robes.

"What?" Ginny looked confused.

"Dudley is going… to go… mental!" he gasped through coughs. "I talked him into letting her have a date in the first place!"

"Letting her?" Tavis snorted. "No one lets Lyssa do anything, she just does it."

"I think you're all over reacting," Ginny frowned.

"Do you not see her outfit!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "I saw her when she walked in. She looks fine."

"She is too young to be wearing that dress!" Harry retorted.

"She's sixteen, Harry.

"I meant what I said."

"Daddy, can I wear a pretty dress like that some day?" Lily asked.

"No," Harry said flatly.

"No sister of mine is going to wonder around looking like a tart!" James said.

"You guys are being mean," Lily snorted and crossed her arms. "I think she looks pretty."

"Her tits are up to her chin!" James exclaimed to his little sister.

"James Sirius Potter!" his mother exclaimed. "Don't you ever speak like that in front of your sister again!"

"Sorry, Mum," James blushed.

"And what on earth makes you think Scorpius forced her wear that in the first place?" Ginny asked. "Perhaps she just liked it."

"Alyssa would never pick a dress like that and you know it, Mum!" James said. "I'll just bet he bought it and bullied her in to wearing it hoping it'll spur her into getting his jollies off later."

"_For Merlin sake, James!_" his mother hissed again.

"I'm not apologizing this time, because it's exactly the sort of thing that Slytherin bastard would do! I need to find Al, Freddie and Blue!"

Tavis had long since stopped paying attention to the squabbling family. He was just watching her. Inside Tavis' mind feelings of lust waged a violent battle with the desire to not be _one of those guys_. Whoever came up with the concept of hormones in teenage boys should be cursed. He glared as he watched Malfoy kiss her hand before excusing himself over to the refreshments table.

He didn't even think, he just started making his way across the hall. It took him several minutes of maneuvering around people to finally get over there. Alyssa was laughing with a Hufflepuff from her Charms class when he finally got close enough to tap her on the shoulder. She slowly turned around and flushed when her eyes finally met his. The blush quickly disappeared and a glare replaced it.

"I have nothing to say to you, Tavis," she said coolly as she excused herself from her conversation and started to walk off.

"Alyssa, wait!" he called after her but it was too late, she'd disappeared into the crowd.

"Still at it, Longbottom?"

Tavis whirled around only to be greeted by that same infuriating smirk Scorpius had been giving him since this whole thing started.

"And I suppose that dress was your idea, was it, Malfoy?" Tavis glared, his blood starting to boil.

"I bought it for her yes," Scorpius replied curtly. "She mentioned to me during a conversation that she hadn't bought anything to wear tonight yet, so I had my mother order her a dress. She does look rather fetching doesn't she?"

"Did it not occur to you she might be uncomfortable with that style?" Tavis asked, through clenched teeth.

"I didn't make her wear it, Longbottom, I am if nothing else a gentleman," Malfoy glared. "I presented her that dress last week and offered to exchange it should she prefer something different."

"You. Idiot." Tavis punctuated each word. "Do you anything about her all? She's too polite to exchange or turn down a gift. Especially something as expensive as that!"

"As I said, Longbottom, I did not force her to wear it."

"You just better stay clear of her brother and cousins," Tavis narrowed his eyes. "James is on the war path."

"And you?" Malfoy smirked again. "Are you not plotting my demise as well?"

"I would be if it wasn't for one thing."

"And that is?"

"I care about her. Which is why I am going to back off," Tavis snapped. "If she wants to wear that dress and be on your arm I'm not going to stop her. I'm not saying she doesn't look amazing, I'm just saying it's not her style and you should be aware of that."

"Well maybe you don't know her as well as you thought you did, Longbottom."

"No one knows her better than I do, Malfoy," Tavis snarled. "_No one_."

Scorpius smirked again and chuckled, "What ever you say, Longbottom."

"Oh, and one more thing, Scorpius," Tavis said, as the platinum blonde brushed passed him.

"What is it now," he sniffed.

"Let me be very, very clear on this," Tavis loomed over Scorpius with a down right deadly look on his face. "If you put so much as a toe over a line she doesn't want to cross I will personally make sure the Malfoy line ends with you tonight."

Malfoy laughed in his face and started to walk off. "Nice try, Longbottom, but I have a younger brother and sister. Can't wipe them out just because I cop a feel on your little not-quite-girlfriend."

Tavis would have drawn his wand right there if he hadn't of suddenly been picked up by each of his arms and hauled away. He was startled and for a moment fought back before he realized that it was Fred and George that had a hold of him. At least he being dragged off by people he knew. Fred and George grinned down at their adopted nephew with their usual mischievousness.

"We've been commissioned to deliver you to your sister," Fred said.

"Great," Tavis muttered. "First rejected, and then mocked. Humiliating by hexing is just what I need to make this night perfect."

"Isn't like that, Mate," George chuckled as Blyana came into sight. "One Male Longbottom relation, as requested, Miss."

"Thanks, Uncle George," she smiled. "You can put him down now."

The twins set Tavis down before crossing their arms in a business like manner.

"And our payment?" Fred asked.

"Lucy and Jamie said they can keep them distracted, but only for bit," she said with a nod. "They said you have twenty minutes."

"We only need fifteen," George grinned.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Blondie," Fred said as they each shook her hand before scampered off into the crowd.

"What are they up too?" Tavis asked, rather bewildered.

"You probably don't want to know," Blyana said. "Mind a dance with your little sister?"

Tavis wanted to say no but he knew he didn't possess the ability to deny either of his sisters anything. Even if the little brat had tortured him all week.

"Sure," he smiled softly and led her onto the dance floor.

They waltzed slowly for a moment before Blyana looked up with a frown. "I saw you talking with Malfoy," she said. Tavis snorted in responce. "He's just trying to goad you into trouble, you know that right?"

"Well he's doing a bang up job of it," Tavis seethed.

"Look Tav, you're my favorite big brother…"

"I'm your only big brother."

"Will you shut up and let me be sentimental for a second?" Blyana glared for a moment. "You're the best big brother a girl could ask for and I've been a right berk the last few days. It wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Tavis pulled his baby sister into a hug as they danced. "Believe me; you guys couldn't have possibly been as angry with me as I was with myself."

"Tell that to Blue," Blyana chucked, using the odd nickname James had come up with for the younger Harry. Harry Dursley had gotten sick of being called, 'Little Harry'. After all being called Little anything was a bit condescending for a full grown man of fourteen. Since the fourth year still held a great loathing for his middle name James started calling him Blue. When asked why, he responded that Little Harry had blue eyes instead of green. The nickname had caught on with the rest of the family for the most part stuck. "He is livid at you for hurting Lyssa's feelings so badly."

"I know, I know," Tavis groaned. "I don't know how I am going to fix this, or even if I can."

"She's probably more willing to forgive you than you think, Tav," Blyana said. "You just have to actually mean it."

"I do though, if I could just get her to speak to me."

"Maybe she's just waiting for you to actually fight for her for once," Blyana said, with a pointed stare. "Every girl wants to be fought for. To be shown they're actually special. Other wise it doesn't feel like you mean it."

Tavis chuckled, "You sure you're twelve?"

"You sure you're a Gryffindor?"

"Touché."

"I just want you to be happy," Blyana said. "And Lyssa makes you happy. You make her happy too by the way. You're both just so bloody thick."

Tavis chuckled and shook his head, "Alright, I get it. I tell her."

"Finally," Blyana threw her hands up in mock frustration.

Tavis laughed and they continued to dance in companionable silence. It wasn't long though when he suddenly felt his sister tense up in his arms. Pulling back a bit he noticed Blyana wasn't paying attention to him, but instead was staring over his shoulder.

"Ana?" he asked.

"She looks upset," she said, peering over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Alyssa… she looks really upset."

Tavis turned his head to see. Sure enough Alyssa had a furious expression on her face and was shoving her way through the crowd.

"I wonder what's wrong," Tavis stopped dancing and turned his whole body around to watch her as she slipped out of the Great Hall.

"The real question should be are you going to go after her to find out," his sister frowned at him. "Because Malfoy sure is."

Tavis narrowed his eyes as he watched the platinum blonde prat weave his way through the crowd as well, trying to catch up to his date. He gave Blyana a quick kiss on the forehead and made his own way as quickly as possible out of the Great Hall. Turning left, he barely had time to catch the fading sound of Malfoy's voice calling after Alyssa. Tavis followed the calls until they led him to the court yard. There he found a good hiding place in the shadows of one of the large awnings. It was close enough to see and hear what was going one but far enough away to keep from being discovered..

Alyssa seethed as she stood leaning against one of the pillars that lined the court yard. She watched the black lake while willing her temper to calm down.

"What did I do?" Scorpius demanded as he stomped across the court yard towards her.

Alyssa closed her eyes and count backwards from ten in Greek so she didn't kill him on the spot.

"Where do I start?" she snapped. "First off, you were horrendously rude to my room mates."

"They were hogging the conversation."

"Secondly, you abandoned me for half an hour while you flirted with that girl from Beauxbatons."

"She's an old friend from the villa in France my parents own."

"And last but not least you put your hands on my arse!" she whirled around to face him finally.

From his hiding place Tavis growled and clenched his fist

"That was an accident!"

_"Like hell it was,"_ Tavis snarled to himself.

"You _squeezed_, Malfoy!" she glared darkly. "I don't know where you think this evening was going, but it certainly isn't going _there_."

"It never crossed my mind that it was going to go _there_."

"Don't patronize me, Malfoy," Alyssa poked him hard in the chest this her finger. "I can assure you that I am not of the same caliber of gullibility that you are used to dating."

"Alright fine, I won't say I'm not hopeful," Scorpius smiled, putting his hands on her shoulders and massaging them. "You are very alluring in that dress. Any wizard would have a hard time not hoping for such a thing."

"Should you wish to keep them, you will remove your hands from my shoulders, Malfoy," his date glared again.

"A lot of good things could come your way if you were my girl, you know?" he replied. "My family has a lot of influence."

"Are you seriously trying to bribe me into being your girlfriend?"

Scorpius smirked again and gripped her chin between his thumb and pointer finger. He tilted her face up towards his and bent down so that his face was just inches away from hers.

"Think of it less as a bribe and more as a business opportunity," he said. "If you want the best in life, you have to take the best in life."

With that he leaned in all the way and crushed his lips to Alyssa's in a searing kiss. From the shadows Tavis felt as though he was going to loose his dinner.

**TBC**

**A/N: Almost done with this one! Sorry for the infrequent posts. Been a busy summer! R&R, my dears! It makes me happy and write faster!**

**~Chupip**


	5. SOTUT5

**Chapter Five**

Tavis only barely kept his stomach from rebelling as he gripped the wall for support. He turned away from Malfoy snogging Alyssa, fully intending on heading straight to Gryffindor Tower. There he would crawl into bed and not move. Possibly until he after graduated. He had walked a few feet before be heard it. A sudden sharp crack that echoed off the walls of the court yard and down the corridor. Tavis halted mid-step and whirled back around towards the couple where Scorpius seemed to have stumbled backwards a few steps. A closer look revealed that the blonde's cheek was starting to turn bright red, and (Tavis noted with unashamed glee) it was not from the cold. The red mark was interestingly enough in the shape of what appeared to be a hand print. Tavis bit down on his knuckle hard to keep from crying out in joy.

"How. Dare. You." Alyssa stood there in the snow glowing with fury. "I don't know what kind of girl you think I am but I'll tell you this, Scorpius Malfoy, I am not _that_ kind! I do not date someone for personal gain, and how dare you think that I am for sale in any such a way! This date is over!"

Scorpius watched with only half interest as his date stormed away. He shrugged and turned back towards the castle with out a second glance. Tavis ducked back into the shadows, fearing for a moment Malfoy may have seen him. To his relief, Malfoy did not appear to notice Tavis' presence as he reentered the castle and disappeared down the corridor.

Tavis turned his attention back to the direction Alyssa had storm off in. He looked up at the sky and suddenly realized that it was starting to snow. He left his hiding spot and wandered across the court yard to find Alyssa. It didn't take him long before he found her leaning against one of the pillars that made up the entrance of the court yard. She was staring out at the black lake again and Tavis could swear he heard her crying. The sound alone tore at his heart and he quietly came up behind her.

Alyssa jumped and whirled around when he laid his hand on her shoulder. She looked somewhere between relieved and unhappy to see him, but mostly unhappy.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said, hastily wiping the tears away. "What are you doing here?"

"You looked upset when you left the hall so I followed you to make sure you were ok," he replied. Alyssa only half nodded and stared at the ground. "I'm sorry about your date."

"Saw that did you?"

"Yeah."

"Bet you enjoyed watching that," she scoffed, turning back towards the lake. "Go on then. Say 'I told you so' and get the gloating out of your system."

"For your information, I have no intention of saying I told you so, and no I did not enjoy watching that."

"Sure you didn't," Alyssa snorted and clutched her arms around herself for warmth.

"No, Alyssa, I didn't," he forced her to face him. "I'll admit seeing you back hand Malfoy was kind of entertaining, but how could you possibly think I would enjoy watching someone upset you like that?"

Feeling her frozen skin beneath his fingers, Tavis suddenly realized that Alyssa was out here wearing nothing but a backless dress. He took off his outer cloak and cast a warming charm on it before gently draped it around her shoulders.

Alyssa blushed for a moment and hugged the cloak to herself before muttering a sheepish thank you.

"If you die of hypothermia you won't be able to crush Slytherin in Quidditch next term," he said.

Alyssa chuckled softly and turned back to look at the lake, "Fair enough."

"I'm sorry your date was ruined. I really am," Tavis said as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "And I'm sorry I was such an arse to you about it."

"Well you were right about Malfoy after all," Alyssa huffed as she glared off into the distance. "He was a lecherous wanker."

"Somehow it doesn't make me feel better that I was right," he said, stepping up behind her. "I wish I hadn't been."

"Liar."

"Alright fine, I'm glad I was right," Tavis confessed. "But only because I think if I had lost you to Malfoy of all people I would have gone absolutely mental."

"I beg your pardon?" Alyssa turned around to face him.

Tavis let out a breath. It was now or never.

"I was angry because _I_ wanted to ask you to the ball," he said. "As soon as McGonagall made the announcement I wanted to ask you."

"If you wanted to ask me to the ball why didn't you?"

"Lots of reasons and every last one of them are pathetic," he chuckled. "Mostly I was afraid you'd say no."

"Why on earth would I have said no to you?" Alyssa asked.

"Thought you'd rather go with someone else," Tavis shrugged. "Someone you actually fancied."

Alyssa blinked for a few moments before a look of frustration crossed her face. "You little prat," she shook her head. "You really have no idea, do you?"

"Of what?"

"Tavis Franklin Longbottom, you are with out a doubt the most insufferably thick human being I have ever met!" Alyssa exclaimed.

"Huh?"

"Three years I've been trying to get you to take a hint and the first time you get a wide open opportunity to ask me on a date you blow it off because you thought I wanted to go with someone else!"

"Err… well yes."

"I turned down half of Ravenclaw and four Gryffindors waiting for you to ask me!" she snapped.

"Then why accept Malfoy's invite!" Tavis snapped back. "If you were waiting on me why did you say yes to him?"

"It was a week and a half before the ball, I figured if you hadn't asked me by then you already had a date," she replied. "By the time I found out you didn't have one, Scorpius had already asked me and I couldn't go back on my commitment."

"Well it would have been bloody nice to know you were waiting on me!"

"How could you have not known I was waiting on you? I've only been in love with you since third year, you stupid sodding git!" Alyssa shouted angrily.

"Oh yeah? Well I've been in love with you since _first_ year! So there!" Tavis shouted back, sticking his finger in her face.

"Get your finger out of my face, Tavis Longbottom or I'll break it off," she growled.

"I'll put what ever I wa… hold on a tick did you just say you loved me?"

The anger and irritation vanished and a dark blush crept up Alyssa's face as she realized what she had just let slip out.

"Maybe," she muttered under her breath. "Did you just say you loved me too?"

"Yes."

"Since first year?"

"Yes."

The two stood there in an awkward silence for a few minutes, neither knowing quite what to do about the other's confession. Then Alyssa started to snicker. It turned into giggles, which turned in to chuckles, which finally turned into full out right belly laughs. Tavis watched her, laughing in spite of himself as well.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Us! This!" she laughed. "The whole thing is just absurd."

"No, what's absurd is how incredibly beautiful I find your laugh," Tavis smiled and cupped her face with both his hands. "It's like music to me."

"That was a bit corny," Alyssa laughed.

"I'll work on it," he chuckled again and brushed a thumb over her lips. He smiled as he felt her give a shudder that he knew wasn't from the cold. "May I kiss you?"

Alyssa slowly nodded as Tavis lowered his head and captured her lips in a gentle but firm kiss. Alyssa snaked her arms around her neck as Tavis buried his hand into her soft curls. Tavis all but moaned when she opened her mouth and allowed his tongue in. She tasted like peppermint and cinnamon. Only the need for breath drew his lips away from her. The two stood there staring at each other in a stunned silence, both breathing hard as a slow but wide smile spread across Tavis' and the Alyssa's face.

"Alyssa Dursley, would you do me the honor of being my date to the ball this evening?" Tavis asked offering her his arm.

If possible, Alyssa's smile grew wider. "I'd love too," she replied and leaned in to kiss him again before taking the offered arm.

A good distance away, a certain blonde Slytherin hid in the shadows of the many columns surrounding the court yard. Scorpius smirked to himself as he watched Longbottom and Alyssa walk back into the castle arm in arm.

"You owe me big for this, Potter," he said to a seemingly empty hallway behind him.

James emerged from beneath his father invisibility cloak with a giant and gleefully mischievous smile.

"Whatever you have in mind, Malfoy, will be completely worth it," he said, shaking hands with his accomplice.

"Oh you think so? When you paid me to ask Alyssa to the dance so Longbottom would get off his arse, I did not count on dodging hexes from a sadomasochistic first year for two weeks, or being decked by my date," Scorpius shuddered.

"To be fair you did dress my cousin up like a tart."

"After the week I put up with I deserved to see a bit of skin. That was worth way more than ten galleons, Potter. Even if your cousin is hell of a snog."

"Not something I actually ever wanted to hear, but whatever. Name your price, I'll be happy to pay it."

"Between that mental little sister of his and your cousin's right hook you're going to be paying me back for this till we graduate."

"If we succeeded in actually getting those two to figure it out, I really could care less," James grinned and looped an arm around Scorpius' shoulders. "But let me start paying on that debt right now. Have you met my friends Mary and Susan?"

...-...-...

Tavis led Alyssa back inside but stopped just before they reached the main hall.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing it's just…" Tavis blushed. "Your dress…"

Alyssa's face turned bright red and she looked away slightly ashamed. "Scorpius' mother sent it to me and I didn't want to be rude and turn it down but I just… I feel so exposed in it," she said rather sheepishly.

"Don't get me wrong, you look amazing in it," Tavis said. "You just also look really uncomfortable in it."

"I am," she confessed. "I just didn't want to be rude."

"Here," Tavis took the cloak from her shoulders and draped back over his own shoulders before removing his wand from its holster. "Trust me?"

"Always."

"Alright then," he returned her smile and pointed his wand straight at the dress. As he muttered several incantations the dress slowly began to change. The neckline rose as the waistline dropped and the straps lowered and expanded. The back of the dress stitched itself together until the hem sat just below her shoulder blades and the skirt grew a fuller until the slit disappeared completely. The dark purple of the fabric melted away and was replaced by a rich blue as tiny crystal sequins popped up around the bottom trim of the dress. The end result was a midnight blue ball gown with a scoop neckline, off the shoulders cap sleeves and a glittering bottom trim. Tavis sat back and admired his handiwork with a smirk. Let's see McGonagall think him lousy at transfiguration now.

Alyssa gasped in delight and spun around. "Oh Tavis, it's perfect!"

"Not yet it's not," he said and summoned the bobby pins from her hair, causing her wild mane of curls to go cascading down her neck and back. Tavis reached up and plucked the lily from her hair before charming it to match the color of her dress. He then pinned it back behind her ear again. "Now it's perfect."

"I take it you like my hair down," Alyssa teased as she took his arm again and they continued their way towards the great hall.

Tavis grinned unashamedly and opened his mouth the reply but a sudden boom that sounded like a clap of thunder rocked the very floor beneath their feet. Tavis and Alyssa looked at each other before breaking into a sprint all the way back to the ball room. The two teens skidded into the great hall but came to a full fledge halt with their mouths gaped wide open.

Fire works were going off every where!

The entire room was either laughing or clapping as they pointing upwards towards the ceiling where a tabby cat in a kilt made completely of fire works was dancing a jig while waving a banner. In bright red writing was _HAPPY RETIERMENT PROFESSOR MCFUZZY-WISKERS!_

_"FRED! GEORGE!"_ they heard Professor McGonagall shriek as she snatched the two men rolling on the ground laughing by an ear each and hauled them up.

"Ow! Watch the damage, Professor, I only got one good ear left!" George whined.

"I'll damage more than just your ear, George Weasley! Honestly you two!" McGonagall exclaimed as she started dragging them out of the hall. Alyssa and Tavis moved out of the way as they watched their uncles get hauled off down the hall by an ear each while their headmistress loudly berated them.

"-forty-two year old men, not some dribbling first years! I told you both no pranks!"

"It wasn't a prank, Professor; it was a display of our affection for you!" Fred argued.

"Affection my giddy aunt!" she roared. "Professor McFuzzy-Whiskers! I ask you!"

"Where are we even going?" George winced.

"Filch's office to get you both a scrub brush," McGonagall glared. "I imagine the caldrons in the potions lab could use a bit of polish and elbow grease."

"What!" the two men exclaimed. "We're not students anymore, you can't give us detention!"

McGonagall glared so ferociously at them that the twins actually shrank back a bit in fear.

"Watch me," she snarled as she continued dragging them away.

Alyssa and Tavis watched as the three adults disappeared before they both broke down into laughter as well. Still laughing Tavis offered his hand to Alyssa, who took it with a smile. Tavis lead them to the dance floor where he pulled her into a gracful waltz as the music started back up.

From a corner of the ball room, a dark hair young man watched the couple while looking entirely too pleased with himself.

…-…-…

The next morning found James sitting at the breakfast table grinning like a nutter at his two best friends sitting across from him.

"So, I take it you both had a good time at the ball then?" he asked innocently.

"You could say that," Alyssa smiled as she squeezed Tavis' hand underneath the table.

"Excellent," James smiled as he shoveled eggs into his mouth. He needed to hurry up because the train home for Christmas holiday left in four hours and he hadn't packed yet. He was going to go home with his parents last night but wouldn't have missed staying at the castle to watch Uncle Fred and Uncle George serve detention for anything. A sudden loud bang next to him caused James, Tavis and Alyssa to all jump. James looked up into Scorpius' wicked grin and felt his stomach drop.

"Morning, Potter," he grinned and patted the stack of books and parchment he had just dropped on the table next to James. "Just thought I would drop off your holiday homework before you left."

"_MY_ holiday homework?" James stuttered.

"Yes, Potter," Scorpius darted his eyes to Tavis and Alyssa before returning his smirk back to James. "_Your_ holiday homework."

James almost groaned. "Er…right. I'd almost forgotten about that."

"Yes, I'm sure you did," he quirked up an eye brow before turning to Alyssa. "Miss Dursley, I wanted to apologize to you. I hope you'll be able to forgive my abysmal behavior last night. I was not myself and I do hope that you will keep the dress as a show of no hard feelings."

"Certainly, Scorpius," Alyssa gave him a tentative smile. "I appreciate the apology."

"Anytime," he smiled back before reaching over and bringing her hand to his lips. Alyssa blush and Tavis glared. "Happy Christmas, Alyssa."

"Happy Christmas, Scorpius."

"Longbottom," Scorpius nodded in Tavis' direction.

"Malfoy," he glared but nodded as well, though not before he wrapped a slightly possessive around Alyssa's shoulder.

"Have fun, Potter," Scorpius called over his shoulder laughing as he walked off.

"What was that about?" Tavis asked.

"Nothing, I'm sure," James glared at the massive pile of homework sitting next to him before standing up and gathering it all into his arms. "All I have to say is you two better live happily ever after with a dozen fat babies someday or I'll kill you both!"

Tavis and Alyssa watched as James stomped out of dining hall all while muttering under his breath something along the lines of 'The things I do for you people…'

Alyssa couldn't help herself and promptly burst into a fit of giggles.

"You think we should tell him that Scorpius told us this morning it was a set up?" she asked.

"After the week those two put me through? No way," Tavis shook his head. "If Scorpius wants to destroy his grade point average by black mailing James' into doing his homework, let him."

"We'll let him do the first few assignments, then tell him. No sense punishing them both too harshly," Alyssa leaned into Tavis happily. "After all, their little plot did have some pretty positive results, I think."

Tavis smiled down at his girlfriend before giving her a gentle kiss on the nose. For once he didn't seem to mind one of James' insane schemes had worked.

**A/N: Well this is the end of the main story, though I do have an epilogue I will post soon. Reviews are love!**

**~Chupip**


	6. SOTUT6

**Epilogue**

_Tap Tap Tap_

Alyssa groaned and rolled over.

_Tap Tap Tap_

Maybe if she ignored the obnoxious sound it would go away…

_**TAP TAP TAP!**_

"Damn it."

Alyssa forced her eyes open and craned her neck around to look at her alarm clock. The offensive object read three forty-five am. Whoever was behind the curtains of her bedroom window had better hope she liked them… a lot.

Grumbling into her pillow, Alyssa pushed herself out of bed and shuffled over to the window. Her bedroom was still pitch black, save for a bit of moonlight seeping in under the curtains so smacking her knee of the end of the bed really shouldn't have shocked her as much as it did. Now fully awake and irritated Alyssa hobbled the rest of the way to the window. Pulling back the curtains the annoyed brunette found a familiar blond man grinning at her through the glass. Alyssa glared slightly and rolled her eyes before unlatching the window.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked as Tavis crawled through the window.

"Yes I do," he smiled and leaned down to press a searing kiss on her lips.

Alyssa savored the kiss for a moment before chuckling a bit as she pulled away. "And you do of course realize that if my dad, brothers, male cousins or uncles catch you in here you won't make it back to that window alive?"

"Yes I do."

"Then you understand that this is a very high probability seeing as how single every single last male relation I have is currently sleeping under this roof?"

"Of course I do, but that is all completely irrelevant."

"Why's that?"

"Because we aren't staying right here," Tavis said as he pulled her back over towards the window. Alyssa smiled as she saw the hovering broom waiting just outside for it's rider to return.

"So you expect me to go on a broom ride in the middle of December wearing just my jimjams then, do you?" she chuckled.

"Alyssa Rose Dursley, I am shocked you would think I'd allow such a thing," Tavis feigned offence as he transfigured the jumper hanging off the end of her bed into a long thick robe with a hood. Admiring his handy work, Tavis held it out for Alyssa to put on. "My lady, if you would."

Alyssa chuckled softly but donned the surprisingly very warm robe before quickly and quietly slipping some boots on her feet. Tavis climbed back out the window as she grabbed her warmest gloves for good measure. Alyssa took Tavis' hand as he helped her out of the window and onto the back of his broom. Making sure she was securely behind him, Tavis kicked off the roof hard and they sailed off into the darkness.

"So where are we going?" Alyssa asked.

"It's a surprise," Tavis grinned over his shoulder at her.

"Alright A: You know I don't like surprises, and B: Don't forget we have a long day ahead of us so we can't be out till the wee hours of the morning."

"Aly, we already are out at the wee hours of the morning," Tavis laughed. "And, I am very well aware of how long of a day we have ahead of us, thank you very much. You had to pick Christmas Eve of all days…"

"I like Christmas," she sniffed. "It's the one day of the year I don't mind surprises."

"Then it's a good thing I am showing this to you now."

"Tavis…"

"Don't worry; it's a surprise you'll actually like. James helped me pick it out."

"Merlin help us…"

"Have a little faith will you?" he glared just slightly.

"In James? You're kidding right?"

Tavis chuckled as he eased the broom to a halt. "Hold on tight now. Apparating mid-air is a bit tricky."

Alyssa gulped and squeezed Tavis tight around the waist. She hated it when he apparated them mid air! She felt the familiar pull of side apparation as they disappeared with a crack and reappeared over a small village. Alyssa leaned over the side to peer down and frowned in confusion.

"Tavis, what are we doing in Hogsmeade?"

"You'll see," the blond in front of her grinned like a Cheshire cat and guided the broom north. "It's just over the clearing over there so not to much further now. Close your eyes now if you would please."

Alyssa sighed in mock frustration but did as he asked. It wasn't long before she felt them land and Tavis helped her off the broom. He led her a few yards forward before they stopped and he moved to stand behind her.

"Alright," she could practically feel his grin on the back of her head. "Open them."

Alyssa opened her eyes and let them adjust for a moment before focusing them in on the structure in front of her. They were standing outside the gate of a two story stone cottage. A large tree sat in the front garden, behind a stone wall fence, with a swing hanging from one of the lower limbs. It looked as though there were flower boxes lining the entire garden but the snow had long since buried all of them. It was a charming looking place but Alyssa's brows knit together in confusion.

"Tavis, where are we?" she asked. "Whose house is this?"

If possible the blonde haired man's grin grew twice as large.

"It's ours," he said as he kissed her ear.

"Ours!" Alyssa's hand flew to her mouth as she let out a loud gasp.

"Yes," Tavis stepped in front of her and brought her hands to his lips. "Ours."

"I…we… you… I don't even know what to say!"

"You could say what an amazing fiance I am and how much you love me?"

"Can we even afford this?" Alyssa exclaimed, completely ignoring his statement. "I know the Apothecary is doing well but a _house_! Tavis, how could you buy a house with out even talking to me about it! Don't engaged people usually talk these kinds of things over?"

Tavis listened to her rant with a chuckle. He expected her to react like this. Then again they had been a couple for seven years now, if he couldn't gage her reactions to things by now he never would. Two summers ago he and she had opened an Apothecary together in Hogsmeade so buying a house nearby the small town seemed like the logical thing to do. Tavis had inherited his father's gifted touch with plants so he grew most of what they needed for merchandise right behind the shop but with a house of their own he could build a green house in the back garden and grow even more plants. The tiny flat he had been sharing with James since they left Hogwarts just couldn't accommodate the space he needed for a green house.

After Hogwarts Alyssa followed in her Aunt Ginny's footsteps and became a Healer at St. Mungo's. Tavis found a passion in potions and become a highly skilled potions master, something everyone found particularly hysterical. Especially Uncle Harry, who remarked quite often how his old potions professor would spin in his grave if he knew a Longbottom had become Potions Master.

After a few years though Alyssa was getting burned out with being a healer and confessed to Tavis how discontent she was with the hospital. She liked helping people but not the ten patients in half an hour care the hospital seemed to expect. She much preferred having a more one on one environmental. Rushed examines meant sloppy diagnoses and that bothered her. Tavis himself had never really been satisfied with his job either. As a potions researcher for the Ministry Tavis was highly paid but truth be told he preferred brewing to researching. After a long conversation the two lovers decided to take fate into their own hands and came up with a plan that catered to both their passion of brewing and helping people. Thus _**The Herbs and Cures Apothecary**_ was born.

Alyssa and Tavis had both been star potions students at Hogwarts so the shop sold not only ingredients but premade potions as well. Tavis loved winding down from a long day by watching over the simmer potions they would need to the next day. Brewing potions was how he preferred to relax after a hard day's work in the shop. A trait his father Neville insisted he had not inherit from him.

It started out slow but once they were able to build a reputation the shop seemed to take on a life of it's own. Six months in an elderly wizard from the village came in looking for a potion to clear up some boils he had on his face. Alyssa took one look at him and ordered him to sit down so she could examine him. A few moments later she confirmed that he had dragon pox and needed an entirely different set of potions then what he was there to get. She gave the man strict instructions about the potions then ordered him home to bed. She even went as far as to call on him the next day to make sure he was resting and taking his potions properly. The wizard recovered in half the time under Alyssa's care.

Word spread quickly about the young healer and soon people were coming in for medical attention just as much as potions ingredients. A day didn't go by where someone didn't come to her with a problem. Alyssa happily examined each of them before healing their ailment or proscribing the best potion they had in stock. Her Aunt Ginny, being the director of St. Mungo's now, pushed through a permit to sanction the small store as an authorized clinic as well as an Apothecary.

The business wasn't as booming yet as they would have liked but it had a loyal customer and patient following, especially from Hogwarts where both of them still had family attending, so it was profitable none the less. Far more profitable than Alyssa actually realized, since Tavis usually took care of the books.

Whenever Tavis thought about who he wanted to spend his life with it'd always been Alyssa. It was the right timing he never seem to get. First there were NEWTS, then graduation, then apprenticeships, then jobs, and finally the shop. It never seemed like the right time. Finally one day about a year ago James smacked him upside the head (literally) and said either Tavis asked Alyssa to marry him soon or he was inviting their old class mate Scorpius to dinner. Apparently the pale little git was single and still thought Alyssa was a looker.

Tavis spent weeks going from jeweler to jeweler trying and find the right ring for her. He checked Wizarding shops, he checked Muggle shops… hell he checked a Goblin shop once, but nothing seemed right.

Tavis was at wits end with ring hunting the evening his father asked him to come over for dinner. Upon arrival though his parents met him in the living room. Neither of them said anything, they just simply handed him a small red box while smiling proudly at him. Tavis opened it and almost dropped the box in shock. Inside was a beautiful emerald cut diamond that sat in the middle of a simple white gold band. The large diamond was flanked by two small similarly cut rubies and he could just barely make out the Longbottom family crest etched lightly onto the center stone. Tavis recognized it immediately. The ring that sat in his hand had been passed down through the Longbottom family for over a hundred years, and had been worn by his own mother for longer than he could even remember. It was not only the ring his father had proposed to his mother with, but the ring his grandfather had proposed to his grandmother with.

It was perfect!

Tavis had gathered both his parents in the tightest hug he could manage before all but sprinting to ask Mr. Dursley for Alyssa's hand in marriage.

'_That however is a memory for another day,'_ Tavis thought with a shudder. Alyssa was still ranting, so he cut her off by pulling her into another heated kiss.

That shut her up he noted with unashamed smugness.

"So shall I give it back then?" he asked, as he gently fingered the ring on her left hand. "Tell the realtor that you'd rather live in a tiny flat in Diagon Alley with your husband, your cousin and one bathroom to split between the lot?"

"Well now lets not be rash now! I never said I didn't want it, I was just speaking in concern for our financial state," she replied with a sniff. Tavis smirked. He knew her too well to think for a moment that she was actually upset with him. Alyssa looked back at the house with happy tears forming in her eyes. "So it's ours then? Really truly ours?"

"Yes it is," Tavis smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. "All ours."

"I love you."

"I love you too," he gave her a peck on the lips before swinging his leg back over the broom. "Alright then, Future Mrs. Longbottom, we'd better go before your parents wake up and think we've eloped."

"Why on earth would we elope the night before the actual wedding?" Alyssa asked with a chuckle as she too swung her leg over the broom.

"Well considering I have been thoroughly threatened by every male relative you have _and_ Fred and George have pull some sort of massively absurd prank at every single wedding, retirement and birthday party for the last sixteen years, I won't say I'm not a bit fearful," Tavis replied as they kicked off again. "That and Uncle Harry pulled me aside the other day…"

Alyssa snorted a laugh, "What happened?"

"He said, and I quote, 'Tavis, I love you like a son, but you hurt her and I'll do things to you that would make Voldemort cry like a toddler'."

Alyssa started laughing so hard she had to grip on tighter to Tavis to keep from falling off the broom.

"Don't be silly, Tavis. Uncle Harry wouldn't do that to you," Alyssa said, wiping away some of the tears from laughing.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because there wouldn't be anything left once I got through with you."

"Fair cop."

The couple laughed and Alyssa snuggled against Tavis tightly as he steered them back towards their apparation point.

From the top window of the cottage, James breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Tavis and Alyssa mount the broom and take off. He had panicked when he saw the two of them standing out there, and prayed to Merlin they weren't planning on coming inside. As best man, he was in charge of making sure everything up until the wedding night was perfect. So he had broken in two hours ago to decorate their new bedroom as a surprise. He hoped they liked leopard print, or at least found humor in it. Thankfully they hadn't entered the house, just looked at it. James watched with a wide grin as his two best friends flew off.

Seven years later and the dark haired wizard still looked entirely too pleased with himself.

**THE END**

**A/N: And we're done with this one! Check out the next Tomatoes and Lilies story "His Yin, Her Yang" staring Hermione Granger and George Weasley! We'll be going back in time a bit for this one. Ta, Lovelies!**

**~Chupip**


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